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Review: 'Doppel'
'Enso'   

-  Label: 'Bandcamp'
-  Genre: 'Ambient' -  Release Date: '10.4.20.'

Our Rating:
This is going to be one of those reviews where I compare an album to one I have previously reviewed as it sounds very similar indeed, apart from this one mainly being instrumental.

The fact the record it reminds me of Dogs Run In Packs by Rams Pocket Radio is rather obscure and I only gave it 4/10 doesn't exactly bode well for this album by Doppel who are a duo based in Koln Germany and McAllen Texas and punt ideas between the two and then recorded the album over a year in three separate sessions.

From the opening Not Yet it's clear we are in laid back chill out mode with the sort of musicians who would be happy for the bands music to be used as wallpaper background sounds, that said it's pleasant and does sound just like Rams Pocket Radio with the vocals stripped out.

Aftermath sounds like it's the aftermath to a particularly taxing day feeding the ducks in the park when the ducks turn there bills up at your bread crumbs, with some nice semi classical piano that sounds indebted to Ben Folds Five coupled with some skittish percussion that will work as a bed for some TV announcer to talk over.

Preferences has a simple keyboard pattern and chill out room drum and bass influenced drums that make this perfectly good as background music at a dinner party while the guests tell the host if they prefer red or white wine or perhaps a beer, although this music will go much better with wine than beer.

Wet Dog lifts things somewhat with a really funky bassline that has all sorts of keyboards that are being played like they are trying to play a widdly guitar solo on the keys and it works better than that suggests especially when some very 70's dub reggae tricks are added into the mix and a very rare vocal snatch. This sounds like some good sci-fi soundtrack music. This is definitely a must hear tune on this album.

Cold Day takes us back to Rams Pocket Radio again and yes I played both albums back to back more than once to make sure I heard it right only they have some accordion going on rather than piano, so imagine Ben Folds on the accordion dreaming of being the bad mofo he clearly isn't and a compadre who wants to be a real beat master trading ideas and coming up with this tune they think is well on it and you'll be close to where this is at. Very pleasant and like most of the album will work well as a chill out cut in the middle of a large playlist.

Molecular Structure sounds like they have transcribed formulas into notes and are playing the structures for rain drops on a spring afternoon with some gentle pitter patter cymbal work and the accordion sounding like a gentle breeze to lean back into and just relax and realize that this album also reminds me of Tim Hutton from Groove Armada's solo album Everything but again sans the vocals.

Jilla is another chiller of a track that seems to sound like some late 70's instrumental Philly soul but without the flute work and instead some woozy bass and insistent but sporadic cymbal that sound like they are being played while the cymbal is being held with the other hand by Michael Longoria.

Halb Vier is more rainy day musings of gentle early morning contemplating the dew on the lawn and dawn sort of vibe until eventually the drums seem to be beating a reveille of some sort and the accordion want to make you get up and do something but you only want to look at the dew on the lawn.

BIRDNOSE has them pecking away in all caps but this is not rant but a mellow as you like tip to the early morning birdsong that might wake you up in deep in the country and make you feel like meditating, this will get you in the mood to sit down and clear your mind too while wondering if you can pick out where the main theme comes from other than the same records Rams Pocket Radio had been listening too.

The final track Leeb again reminds of the more chilled out end of Ben Folds work coupled to skittish percussion aimed at the chill out room once more and it would be a good comedown tune at the end of the night.

If you need to feel well chilled with a slight Drum and Bass edge to things then Enso by Doppel may well be right up your street find out more at https://www.doppelband.net/ https://www.facebook.com/doppelband/
  author: simonovitch

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